A Time for Family
by Lt.Gungirl
Summary: 004x003. Somewhat sequel to The Moments that Bring Us Together. This time Albert and Fran are dealing with tragedy and hope. How hard can it be to have a family?
1. It's Been a Year

**Warning: Sequel to _The Moments that Bring Us Together._ I totally don't know where this started from, but I enjoyed writing this story. Let me know what you think. **

**P.S. Warning chapters one and two aren't the happiest.**

Albert Heinrich sat quietly in the chair he had claimed as his own the first time he'd entered the house. He was fond of the worn leather and the large soft armrests. Not to mention there was a matching footstool placed perfectly for his height. He read here, usually philosophical literature much of it German, but he did enjoy reading author's like Kafka, Dostoevsky, and Thoreau. The shelf next to the chair was clean of dust, and the books were organized nicely.

He had been reading, until the incomprehensible American modernism of Faulkner had lulled him into a nap. It didn't help that he was tired, having recently returned from helping out a friend of Kozumi's with a couple of men wanting to steal his research.

The job had been a nice challenge, if not draining on his body and mind.

His head was tilted to the right his eyes closed comfortably. In his right hand the volume of Faulkner still propped up for reading. His legs were crossed both feet on the stool. He looked completely relaxed.

This was what Francoise found when she entered the room in search of some company. She smiled at her sleeping husband, he worked so hard these days. There had been no question that he was to take Joe Shimamura's place as the natural leader. Joe, who Fran had loved once upon a time had now been gone for four years, along with Jet Link. The image of their comet like plummet forever ingrained in their surviving comrade's minds.

Fran walked over to Albert, even though she had once loved Joe even her heart had learned to move on. She looked at the book he was reading and frowned at the title, _As I Lay Dying_. She gently lifted the book from his metal fingers and placed it on the table beside his chair. She then turned the lamp on said table off.

She then proceeded to straighten up the curtains and other little things mindful not to wake Albert. When she was finished she came up behind him and gently woke him up by putting her arms around his neck and burying her face in his silver-white hair. He stirred, "Did I fall asleep reading again?" he asked.

"Yes," He felt her lips smile against his scalp. "You've been working yourself to exhaustion." Fran commented as she moved to sit on the stool. Albert moved his feet for her.

"I know, there's just been so much going on lately. Seems like everyone is looking for help." He sighed running a hand through his hair.

"We can't just quit fighting, as much as we'd like to, there are still remnants of Black Ghost and other evil in this world."

"We really did get the short end of the straw," Albert mused. She nodded.

"Albert, you know what tomorrow is don't you?" Fran's voice grew quiet and sad.

"Of course love," he replied in an equally soft whisper, "The two of us will go alone with some flowers in the morning."

Fran nodded silently her emerald eyes two clear pools clouded with sorrow. Albert stood up and took his wife in his arms. "Everything will work out Fran," he whispered in her ear.

"I know, I just worry," Fran replied.

"I know but don't let the others see you cry, you know how it upsets them." He reminded gently.

"Right," she pulled back reigning in her emotions.

"That's better, now if my watch is correct we're going to be late for dinner."

"It's fine. I'm not all that hungry right now," Francoise turned to the window and looked out at the late autumn day. The trees of the memorial garden were afire with hues of gold and red. A slight wind stirred the jewel toned leaves plucking a few and sending them dancing through the air.

"Fran, please, you know you have to eat," Albert's voice grew slightly stronger.

She turned to him with a slight gleam of hope in her eyes, "How silly of me," she remarked and started for the library door. Albert beat her to it opening it for her. Together they walked down to the dining room where the others were already eating. Doctors Gilmore and Kozumi noticed their entrance.

"My apologies to you two, but we couldn't wait any longer," Gilmore gave a quick disappointed glance to Chang and G.B. as he apologized.

"No need to apologize, we're all adults." Albert replied with a smile. He and Fran took their seats next to each other, Albert across from Gilmore and next to Kozumi at the head.

Fran was quiet through dinner, Albert tried to elicit more conversation from her, but she could not be shaken from these moods of sad solitude.


	2. We Remember You

"Hold still," Fran commanded fixing Albert's collar.

"I'm trying," Albert replied. He didn't see the necessity in dressing up, but it was for Fran so he tried his best to be polite. She gave his shirt collar one final tug and smiled.

"There."

"I'd hate to go out and have my collar rumpled." He commented sarcastically. She gave a slight dismissive giggle. He took that as a good sign, perhaps after today her depressive behavior as of late would fade from her.

Albert looked Fran over and handed her coat to her. "It's going to be cold today," he commented. Her skirt and blouse would hardly protect her from the wind.

"Yes," she replied hollowly. He sighed and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Frannie," he whispered. "There's nothing we could have done. It wasn't your fault either." He took her coat and put it over her shoulders. "We should hurry though, before it starts to rain."

She nodded and put her scarf around her neck as Albert shrugged his shoulders into his own coat. They did one final check and then hurried out of the mansion. They took Gilmore's car to town and stopped at the florist. They each picked a bouquet of flowers. Albert chose German Primroses, and Fran; Lilies of the Valley. They continued on their drive to the local cemetery.

In the newer section of the memorial gardens they found a familiar headstone. The site of it from afar brought bitter pangs to them both. The cold wind bit at their exposed faces, whispering the promise of a cold winter. They walked up silently, neither one really had anything to say.

They passed other headstones, each the final mark of a person's life. When they reached the one they had come for they stood before it in grave silence. Carved into the smooth grey granite were these words : Jacque Heinrich Born October 19 1972 Died October 20 1972.

The two stood in silence. Their first child had been born early and unprepared for the cruel world. Albert had never really considered starting a family after he had been turned into a cyborg, but Fran had wanted children so badly. She had taken to caring for Ivan instinctually, and now that his body had finally begun to grow he no longer needed her care.

It had been a hard road from the start. They had needed Dr. Gilmore's help just to conceive Jacque. From there Fran had been sick most of the eight months she'd been pregnant, and gone into labor almost five weeks early.

Jacque hadn't even lived 24 hours. Now it was exactly a year later.

Fran stared at the ground that held the slowly decaying body of her first child with a bitter anger and sorrow. Her eyes filled with mist as she fought to keep her emotions under control. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "It's all my fault."

Albert turned to her, "Fran? You know it's not your fault," his voice was quiet and strained, he too was filled with sorrow.

"What if, what if we can't have children?" She asked as the tears began to spill from her eyes. Albert gently wiped away her tears with his left hand. It was a logical question, if not cruel. Gilmore could not say whether or not cyborgs were able to have children.

"Frannie, don't cry," he didn't know what else to say so he just pulled her into an embrace. She rested her head against his shoulder and cried. He held her quivering body gently one hand rubbing her back comfortingly. Her arms grasped around his neck tightly as she tried to steady herself. They stayed like that for a few minutes.

"Albert, I just, I don't know if I can handle anymore sorrow." She pulled back enough to look into his lifeless eyes. "What if this one isn't strong enough either?" She asked placing her free hand on her stomach.

His bluish eyes stared into hers as he tried to find the right words. She stared into the depths of his eyes wondering what he was thinking. She could never read his emotions through his eyes. "I know you're worried, and scared. So am I, but Dr. Gilmore says that you're doing better this time. We're only two months in, and he says you and the baby are both healthier than with Jacque. I want to tell you it'll be ok, but I know I can't. So I'm asking you to wait and see what happens," He moved his hands to her shoulders so he could look directly into her eyes. "Please? For the three of us?" He asked.

Fran nodded, "Alright, no more worrying," she promised wiping her face. She turned back to Jacque's grave. "I'm sorry, it isn't fair that you died so young. But please watch over your younger sibling, for me," she whispered under her breath. She knelt down and laid her bouquet on the dead grass under the shadow of the headstone.

"We won't forget you," Albert added as he knelt next to his wife and placed his own flowers over hers making an X over the grave. They rose together and stood staring at the spot for a moment longer before they turned away and began to walk back to the car. It was cold and the clouds overhead were grey and thick. The coming rain was heavy in the air and the wind was growing in strength.

Fran placed her hand in Albert's as they walked passing a sparing few people who had also come to pay respects today. They were met by an old woman as they got into the car. "Excuse me?" Albert turned to the lady as he closed Fran's door.

"Yes?" He asked in a subdued tone. He wanted to leave the cemetery.

"How about a flower for the lady?" She pulled up a beautiful lilac colored rose from her thick coat. Her blue eyes twinkling with goodwill and compassion. "One so young should not wear such a heavy frown," she continued offering the flower to Fran. Fran took it through her open window with a smile. "Thank you."

"Now dear children, tell me what has brought such sorrow upon you?" She looked at them both kindly. "It always helps to confide in others."

Fran and Albert glanced at each other, the old habits were hard to break. They had lived for so long without telling a soul anything about their lives it felt almost alien. But the woman was right, they needed to say something to someone, and it was better to say it to a stranger. Their comrades had done well to be understanding and comforting, but they also tried to make them feel better. Fran didn't want to feel better, she just wanted to mourn her son's death in peace.

"We were paying our respects today," Albert replied in a friendly voice.

"That's always lovely, the dead do appreciate it. Who was it that you came to visit?" Fran gave Albert a quizzical look but he only shrugged.

"Our son," Fran answered in a whisper.

"Oh my, that is a reason for such sorrow. I am sorry to hear that. But cheer up darling, I'm sure that the heavens will smile upon your family," with that she turned and began to walk towards someone else.

"Thank you," they both called to her, but she didn't seem to hear it.

Albert got in the car and started the ignition. "She was a nice old lady," Fran mused.

"Yes, if not a little wayward," he replied.

"She's just old," Fran mumbled as she looked at the purple rose closely.

"Where to now? I don't want to go back to the estate just yet," Albert asked pulling out of the gate.

"Let's go eat, we're hungry," Fran answered placing her left hand on her stomach, what little sunlight there was gleamed off of the silver band around her ring finger. A small diamond jutting up out of the smooth metal.

"Lunch it is," Albert replied. Grateful for the cheery undertone in Fran's voice. He silently thanked the old woman again.

Everyone at the house was subdued. They knew better than to say anything, so they just kept quiet and didn't pester the couple. Gilmore greeted them with a smile, "How was your drive?" He asked.

"It was good," Fran replied smiling. Gilmore raised an eyebrow at Albert who just shrugged. "We ate lunch out, no sushi though," she added. Gilmore had given her a strict list of food she couldn't eat while pregnant. Sushi and any fish among it. Along with alcohol and meat that wasn't fully cooked.

Gilmore had done his research for Francoise. He even called an obgyn he used to go to school with. Though some information he'd had to tweak for Fran's case. After all she was the first cyborg to go through pregnancy.

"We had a nice time. If it wasn't so cold it would have been beautiful," Albert gave a little more info. Though he didn't know exactly what had lifted Fran's spirits.


	3. It's so Strange

A few rather quiet months passed. Francoise began to get restless in Kozumi's house. She wanted to go back to France, where she and Albert had just barely afforded a small villa in the lake country. But Gilmore didn't think traveling was a good idea, not for her at least. He wanted her to remain where she was, daily drives to nearby towns would have to hold her over. But these grew old quickly. Even when Geronimo or G.B. took her out for the day. Restlessness grew into irritability. Soon nobody wanted to do anything with her. Except for Albert and Gilmore.

Fran huffed and stared at the window ignoring the gentle voice trying to talk her into eating. "I'm not hungry 006," she growled. Her arms crossed over her chest and she closed her eyes pretending she couldn't hear his words. Even if he was speaking logically she wasn't in a mood to eat. A few more minutes and the chef gave up. He left the plate on her bedside table and closed the door as he sulked out of her room.

When Chang was gone she glanced at the plate. She couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. Chang had after all worked hard to make her that quiche. She sighed and picked up the plate. Maybe she was hungry after all. She took a tentative bite and when her growing stomach did not threaten to send it back up she continued to eat. It was good, she had to admit.

As she ate her lunch she felt a change within her uterus. A movement that she had never felt surprised her. She set her plate down and put a hand to her stomach. The sensation happened again. For a moment she was frozen in fear before she yelled at the top of her lungs. "DR. GILMORE!"

When Albert got home that night from working in town, everyone was upstairs crowding around the door to the room he shared with Fran. "What's going on?" He asked. His optimism couldn't hide the fact that even he worried.

Gilmore looked at him from beside the only female cyborg and smiled. "Come take a look for yourself," he beckoned him with his left hand. His right was resting atop Fran's distended bare stomach. Albert walked over curious.

"Everything's okay right?" He asked quietly glancing at his eager friends.

"Albert, the baby's kicking," Fran announced excitedly, her eyes were alight with joy. It took a moment for the words to sink in. Jacque had never made any such movement. Not even when he should have. There was an overwhelming sense of joy at the news.

"That's wonderful," he whispered kissing her forehead. Her eyes darted to the watching crowd. Everyone was still in the room or in the hall trying to see.

Gilmore cleared his throat, "Why don't we all give the two some time?" He suggested. Most likely Fran and Albert would want to share this moment alone. No matter how much they loved their brothers, it wasn't everyday that a baby kicked from inside the womb. Reluctantly heads nodded and footsteps marked the departure of their comrades. Gilmore left last. "I'd say that's a good omen Francoise," he gave her a smile and closed the door.

Albert had already fallen prey to the spell of the strange and spasmodic signs of the baby's movements. He sat on the bed next to her leaning over her stomach. Fran's stomach would be smooth one moment and the next it would be marked with a slight expansion around the extended foot within. Fran caught sight of her husband's eyes. Eyes that for once in all the years she had known showed more than the typical disinterested blankness. There was a light deep in them that she could barely make out. A light of hope and pride.

Instinctually Albert lifted a hand towards her stomach than stopped closing his steel fingers into a disappointed fist. It would be impossible for him to feel what he was seeing with his hands. Fran watched the light go out of his eyes and acted quickly, not wanting to lose the moment.

She put her hands around his head and pulled him down resting his cheek against her bouncing flesh. He rested his hands on the bed to keep himself up. After a moment a smile spread across his lips. "It's so strange," he murmured.

"Isn't it?" Fran asked smiling back. "The first time it happened I was finishing lunch. For a moment I thought something was wrong." She admitted.

"I don't blame you," he replied not lifting his head from her stomach. A few moments later he sat up. "Somebody's tired," he remarked. Fran nodded, her stomach remained unmoved.

"I could use a break," she commented. "Everyone was so excited. They all wanted to feel," she chuckled. "I told them not until after you."

"Thank you," he smiled. "I'm sure they'll all get a chance."

"Oh yes," she replied tiredly. "Maybe now I can get some rest," she yawned.

"You sleep, I'll bring you up some dinner in a little while." Albert suggested, she nodded closing her eyes.

He left her to nap in peace after changing his clothes. He joined the others down stairs. "Fran's resting now that her stomach's calmed down," he answered the questioning glances all in one sentence.

Everyone looked disappointed, well except for Geronimo, he just nodded simply.

Every afternoon the next two weeks someone came in to ask if the baby was kicking. Fran hated to see her comrades disappointed most days, but after a while everyone got a chance to feel the strange sensation.


	4. Back Home

Another month and Fran began to worry about the house. At seven months pregnant she began to want to go home. Kozumi's house became her next target for the symptoms of pregnancy. As Gilmore put it, she was in her nesting stage. The floors were never clean enough for her, and there was always an invisible layer of dust on the shelves. When her compulsive cleaning began to grate on everyone else's nerves they went to Gilmore for help.

At dinner one night he announced the solution.

They would all be taking his latest creation the Great White to France for a test run. The submersible air ship was ready for a final test run, any bugs they'd found on the first three tests had been ironed out. So he was really killing two birds with one stone. He could see how well his invention worked and take Fran and Albert home. He had made it clear that he didn't want her traveling, but with only two months left she needed to return home. It would be best for her, and the baby. Plus having some distance from the other cyborgs would be healthier for the new family.

Francoise grinned at the old man. "Thank you Dr. Gilmore."

The scientist smiled back, "You should go home now dear, you need to get everything ready for the baby."

"He's right," G.B. chimed in, "Hey I bet ya don't even have the nursery ready!"

Fran blushed. "No we haven't gotten anything for it," she replied sheepishly.

"We can help," Geronimo suggested. They all turned to the quietest member of their team. "With the nursery," he added.

"That's very kind of you Geronimo, thank you," Fran answered. She gave him a smile and he just barely smiled back.

"Then it's settled. We'll help you prepare the house, and then we'll be on our way. Of course Dr. Gilmore will be staying with you guys," G.B announced.

Everyone nodded. "That's right, we should have another room for the Professor," Albert finally said something. He'd been lost in his own thoughts. But it seemed everyone else was taking care of whatever worries he had. "I say we get packing as soon as we're done with dinner," he added.

He too was eager to go back home. He finally had a house of his own, not an apartment, not a room in Kozumi's mansion. He realized that they'd left it with a few things that still needed fixing, but he figured he could get his comrades to help him with a few doors and windows, a broken stair(that was all his fault), and a couple leaks in the roof.

Upstairs packing Fran hummed, she'd been humming tunes as of late. This one wasn't familiar to Albert though. "What's that one?" He asked as he emptied the drawer in the bedside table into one of the trunks on the bed. Papers and a book fell from the overturned tray to land atop his clothes. He fished a few coins from the papers and stuck them in his pocket.

"Oh goodness, it's been so long I don't remember the name or the words," she blushed. "I haven't heard the song since I was younger. It's a lullaby from America I think." She hummed the tune again, "Now I'm not even sure of that."

Albert shrugged. "I've never heard it before." Fran peeked over his shoulder at his packing. Her giggle made him turn to look at her. "What?" He asked oblivious to whatever it was that had amused her.

"Is that really how you pack?" She asked. Everything had been thrown in. He was a fast packer, but that was because he just overturned his drawers into the trunk. Things were smashed and wrinkled inside. "It looks like you just dumped all your belongings inside."

"I did." He replied not seeing the problem with his packing skills. "I'll have to fix everything when we get home," he shrugged.

"It's your stuff," she raised her arms giving up on the subject. She turned back to her own trunk and put the contents of her last drawer inside carefully.

With their room completely empty and the sun not yet in the sky they said farewell to Dr. Kozumi. They didn't know when they'd be back, if all went well they would be dealing with true parenthood for the first time. Fran had treated Ivan as her own when he needed her, but now he was walking around the mansion on his own and usually he was in the underground lab working on the strange designs he came up with.

"Thank you so much, I'm sure we'll come by when we visit Jacque," Fran hugged the old man at an odd angle, her stomach in the way as it had been for the past couple months. "I can't forget all you've done for us."

"My dear you're most welcome. I always enjoy having you here. Any time you want to stop by you just knock on my door." He kissed her cheek as they parted.

Fran stepped back allowing her husband to say goodbye. "Dr. Kozumi, I thank you my friend. How can I ever repay your kindness?" Albert made to shake the man's hand but Kozumi pulled him closer.

"Nonsense. You owe me nothing. Just come and visit me every now and again," he hugged Albert warmly. "My friends never need to repay my hospitality, I just expect them to show me the same."

"Yes sir," Albert replied as they pulled away.

"You two take care, and keep in touch. Come back when you feel the need." He waved to them as they headed for the Great White parked on the beach.

Gilmore shook Kozumi's hand. "I'll be back when they've settled. Take care until then."

"Of course friend, I'll be waiting." Gilmore smiled and then followed the couple into the ship.


	5. It's All in the Name

The villa needed more work than they remembered. But with everyone's help the repairs took two weeks. Fran and Albert spent the rest of the money they'd saved up over the years on the nursery itself. The furniture and necessities for a baby were much more expensive than they had imagined. Albert would have to find a job soon to pay the bills. Gilmore had funded their ventures back when they fought Black Ghost, the salary he'd received from the evil organization had been enough.

After BG everyone had gone searching for jobs. For some it was easy, G.B. found himself the lead actor of a theater group traveling around Europe. He was currently on vacation. Geronimo worked on and off in the South Western United States for various people. For a while Fran had been teaching ballet to children in France. Chang was in China, busy with his restaurant. Pyunma was off in Africa working for a missionary organization. But everyone always made it back to Kozumi's for a visit.

Albert had once been a driver/animal keeper for a German circus. As of late he had just been a driver, taking loads of supplies to and from the Lake Country. With his extended stay in Japan he would have to go back to his former employer and see if he could get it back.

Francoise had very little she could do, mainly they let her pick paint colors and took her to buy furniture for the nursery. Albert helped with as much as he could, they put new shingles on the roof, fixed the stairs, doors, and windows, and fixed the plumbing in the bathrooms.

When it came time to paint Gilmore sent Albert and Fran to a hotel for a week. He didn't want her near the paint fumes.

Fran didn't sleep much in the hotel. "It's too quiet," she complained one evening. "I can hear what the people around us are doing," her face grew red. "Things that I don't want to know about."

"We'll be out of here soon." Albert replied. "And then we can go home for good." He liked the way that sounded. To have a home for as long as he wanted it. That's what he had been trying to do when he lost Hilda, just make it to a place where they could survive away from the shadow of communism. She would have liked the house he and Fran bought, in a quiet part of the country. It was beautiful and green and had enough room to start a family. His brow furrowed at the thought of his first love.

"What's wrong?" Fran asked quietly.

He looked at her and gave her a slight reassuring smile. "Nothing," he replied. He felt it would be wrong to tell her he was thinking of another woman even if she was no longer in this world. "Just thinking."

"Oh, ok," she smiled back. She knew better than to press for further explanation.

Albert turned to the window and stared out it a moment, "Have you thought of any names you like?"

"Not yet. I know she's coming in a just a few weeks, but I still don't have any names I like." She sighed. "Do you?" They had recently found out that their second child was a girl.

"Well, I've always liked Amelie, Nina, Elsa, Irene," he paused trying to think of other names. He kept from adding Hilda to the list, the name was special to him, but it would be inappropriate for he and Francoise's daughter.

Fran almost wrinkled her nose at the German names, but she mulled over Irene, it also had Irish uses if she remembered correctly. "Irene's pretty," she commented before he could say anything else.

"Irene?" He asked surprised, he was worried she wouldn't like his name choices. After all their son had been named Jacque, a traditionally French name.

"I like it," she mused, the name playing over and over in her mind. She looked at her stomach trying to see the baby within, but her sight was somehow useless in this sense. She could see the internal difference between humans and cyborgs, but her uterus was like a blank slate. Although she did hear the baby when she moved.

She imagined a golden haired little girl with pale blue eyes. "Yes, Irene is perfect," she decided with a nod.

"Really?" Albert was surprised but also happy. "I didn't think you'd like it." He added.

"It's a beautiful name, any particular place it comes from?" Fran had picked Jacque because it had been the name of her father. She liked names that had meanings or carried the memory of family.

"It was my mother's middle name," he smiled. "She'd be honored to know her granddaughter is named that."

"Then Irene it is," Francoise smiled back.


	6. To Give a Gift

When the Heinrichs returned to their house they were surprised. The outside had been repainted. The fading white was replaced with new pristine white with a sage green trim. The flower beds out front had been weeded and their bedroom was now a warm brown. "Now come check out he nursery." G.B. grinned.

Albert opened the nursery room door so he and Fran could step inside. Not only had the walls been painted a soft pink with darker pink polka dots of various size all around. But all of the nursery furniture that Fran had bought was put together and set up in the room.

A white crib, bassinet, changing table, dresser, and rocking chair were already set up. There were a couple shelves on the wall, and there was a beautiful mobile above the crib. It was white and the characters hanging from it were pink birds, pink birds with pale yellow scarves. There was a total of nine pink birds hanging at different lengths. Fran looked at it and smiled as a single tear ran down her cheek.

"Oh you guys," she turned to her friends, no her family. Her wayward, misfit family of cyborgs. She hugged each one of them. She hugged Gilmore last. "You do too much for us," she whispered in his ear.

"Nonsense dear, you deserve it. And besides I've done just as much bad in your lives as I did good."

"I don't think our lives turned out that bad," Albert smiled. "If it weren't for you, we might have never gotten this far," he gestured around the room with his right hand. "Some of us were already in hell, you helped us find our way out."

"He's right. Without you Dr. Gilmore we might have been in a very different place today." Ivan finally said something. Through all the hype of Fran and Albert's baby he'd been quiet. Fran had mentioned to her husband that she thought he might be jealous. "Now are we going to talk about the past or shall we open the closet?" He sounded excited, as though he were in on a big secret.

"Yeah go on Francoise, open the closet." G.B. encouraged.

She stepped over to the closet and opened it. Inside hanging up were a dozen dresses, little baby dresses in shades of pink and blue and yellow. There were toys as well. Stuffed animals, a rattle, some story books, a xylophone, a play phone, and in a box there was a baby doll. It was a doll that Fran recognized immediately. She picked it up and looked at it. Her hands trailed the pink lace dress and the soft curled brown hair.

"I had this doll when I was a little girl. But I never told any of you about it, how did you,"

"I must apologize 003, but I noticed it in your thoughts many times before." Ivan answered her question.

"Thank you," she smiled at the boy.

"Thank you everyone," Albert added. "This is very kind of you."

"It was nothing," Geronimo replied. "It's what any family would do."

Everyone nodded in agreement. They were a family, a very unusual family, but still a family.

The next day Fran and Albert found the goodbyes a little harder than they normally did. Maybe it was because they weren't sure when they'd be seeing everyone again. Francoise blamed it on her hormones being imbalanced, because she cried. Just a few tears, but still she didn't think it was that big of a deal. She hugged them all, Ivan last thanking him again. "Thanks, are you sure you won't stay until Dr. Gilmore leaves?" She asked.

"I'm sure. I had a great deal of your attention when I was in need of it. That's not the case anymore. Besides I have projects back at Kozumi's I'd like to finish." He replied.

"If you're sure," she gave him a smile, but it was ruined by a tear.

"I know," he replied probing her thoughts. "If I could call anyone my mother, it would be you 003. Thank you for that. Even with my intellect I still needed someone to take care of me. And now it is time for you and I to move on."

She nodded. "I know," this time her smile held any tears at bay. Ivan nodded and walked towards the Great White. He'd already said goodbye to Albert, not that the two were really all that close mind you.

Albert shook G.B.'s hand, but the Brit pulled him into a hug. "You take care now you old dog. I'll be by to visit ya soon enough."

Albert reluctantly returned the affection to his friend. "And you stay out of trouble."

When his friend turned to head for the ship Albert watched a slight sadness resonating in his soul. But he shook his head, they'd be back together soon enough. There was always a reason for them to reunite.

As their friends left, Albert and Francoise watched wondering what the future would bring them. They hoped it wouldn't be as dangerous as their past.


	7. Completion

A month later while Fran was listening to the radio and Albert was cleaning up from breakfast the event they had waited nine months for happened. Fran gasped as the first contraction struck her. Albert and Gilmore came to her side. "It's time." Fran announced wincing.

"Albert take her to the study." Gilmore went to the kitchen to wash his hands. Albert helped her out of the chair as her water broke and carried her to the study, which had been turned into a hospital like environment. He set her on the bed set up in the room and Gilmore came in a moment later. "Fran, I want you to take deep breaths until I get a reading on everything." Albert helped him wheel a sonogram machine next to her.

Fran nodded as he began to take a look at the baby. "Everything looks good. She's facing the right way and there's no problem with the umbilical cord," He made the necessary checks. "Everything looks good." he gave her a smile. "Now we just wait."

Albert pulled up a chair next to the bed and took Fran's hand in his own. "This time it's different." He assured. She nodded through another wince.

"I forgot how much it hurts." She gasped.

"It'll be over soon though." Albert replied.

"I'm scared," Fran suddenly looked deep into his eyes. Her hand tightening around his.

"I know you are," he whispered. "But try not to worry, it isn't healthy for you riht now." His other hand caressed her cheek. "I feel good about today," he continued to encourage her. "Trust me." He smiled.

She smiled back, "ok."

Five hours of labor, pain, and yelling later, Gilmore was handing Fran her second child. Albert and Fran stared at her in wonder. She had green eyes and thick pale white blond hair. She cried as Fran took her in her arms. Her little face was red from her bawling. Albert kissed Fran's forehead. "She's beautiful," he whispered.

"Sh," Fran cooed. She gently rocked the baby bringing her close to her face. Gilmore left the room quietly. "Irene, quiet now," she whispered in a gentle voice. Irene quieted down beginning to fall asleep. "Here Albert," Fran raised her arms to give the baby to him.

Albert copied her pose with his arms and bent down. Fran laid Irene in his arms gently then smiled at him. Irene opened her eyes briefly and then closed them again. Gilmore came back in. He had a birth certificate in his hands. "What's her name?" He asked.

"Irene," Fran answered. "Irene Ariadne Heinrich."


End file.
